Pipe-wrench.



c. D. PETERS. n

,HPB WBENGH.

APPLIUATION FILED AUG. 19, 1908.

A 906,277.` Patented Dec.8,1908.

1f i lll| "lf y. j o o, o l i] 7 /9 5 o /0//5 2 W11" i?? f mmm CLARENCE D. PETERS, OF VICTORIA, ILLINOIS.

PIPE-WRENCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 19, 1908. Serial No. 449,278.

Patented Dec. 8, 1908.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Beit known that I, CLARENCE D. PETERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Victoria, in the county of Knox and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Imrovements in Pipe-Wrenches, of which the following' is a specification.

This invention relates to pipe and rod wrenches, the object of the invention being to provide a wrench which will accurately adjust itself to the different sizes of pipes and rods for which it is adapted, which will not slip and cut the pipe, which will quickly and firmly grip and securely hold different sizes of pipes without liability of crushing the thinnest pipe, and which will eectually prevent displacement of small rods and pipes while the same are being gripped.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, referencev being had to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a wrench constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view or edge view of the same. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 with parts omitted and the jaws shown in closed position. Fig. 4 is a similar view showing still other parts omitted and the jaws in open position.

Referring to the drawing, l designates the handle bar or shank of the wrench, which is provided at its forward end with a fixed or stationary jaw 2 of hook form or curved on an arc of a suitable radius. Projecting from the inner end of this jaw at its point of junction with the shank and beyond one of the edges of the latter is a ysegmentally curved lug 3, and arranged to coperate with the stationary jaw is a movable jaw 4, the rear end of which movable jaw is bifurcated or segmentally slotted to form a recessed portion 5 to receive and turn uponvthe lug 3, the opposite arms 6 and 7 of said recessed or bifurcated portion being adapted for respective engagement with shoulders 8 and 9 at the front and rear of the lug to limit the swinging movements of the movable jaw.

The movable jaw is pivotally mounted between the outer ends of a pair of supporting plates l() upon a pivot pin or bolt 11, the inner ends of which plates are disposed upon opposite sidesof the inner end of the'stationary jaw or forward end of the shank and are pivotally supported therefrom upon the opposite ends of a pin or bolt 12 passing therethrough. The movable jaw is thus indirectly pivoted to the stationary vjaw or handle so as to adapt it to have a free swinging movement andy to assume di'erent positions of adjustment in use. A plate or ribbon spring 1 3 extends along the edge of the handle from which the lug projects and is rigidly securedr at its rear end to said handle Aand outwardly bent or offset at its forward or free end, which terminatesy adjacent the rear edge of the lug, to bear against the rear arm 7 of the bifurcated portion of the movable jaw, said spring serving to normally hold the movable jaw closed and permit it to yieldingly open to adjust itself to different sizes of rods or pipes.

A gripping chain 14 is arranged in the form of a loop in the space between the jaws and the inner faces of its links aretoothed, as at 15, to bind securely against the engaged rod or pipe. One end of this chain is pivotally connected with the outer end of the jaw 2, as at 16, while the opposite end thereof passes around the free end of the j aw 4 and between a pair of spaced guide plates 17 yriveted or ot erwise lixedly secured to the opposite faces of said jaw and extending transversely beyond the inner and. outer edges of the same. A pin 18 extends between and connects the outer ends of said plates 17 and has pivotally mounted thereon a toothed latch or dog 19 which is normally forced inwardly or toward the outer edge of the free end of the jaw to engage the toothed surface of the free end of the chain and clamp the same against the jaw, by ,which the chain' may be adjusted to engage rods or pipes of different diameters and its free end secured. against movement or displacement in adjusted position. The jaw 4 has its free end terminating when in closed position` adjacent the free end of the movable jaw and projected outwardly beyond the same so as to facilitate the application of the rod 'or pipe between the jaws and the removal of the same therefrom, as well as to close the space between the jaws to as great a degree as possible to adapt the chain to surround the inclosed rod or pipe to a maximum extent, while at the same time permitting of a maximum range of adjusting movement to the movable jaw to adapt it and the chain to adjust themselves readily and easily to variations in the sizes of the rods or pipes Yto be gripped andheld or turned. The inner ends of the guide plates 17 are provided with gripping teeth 2l inclining in a direction away from the, fixed jaw, and which substantially cover the open space between the ends of the gripping chain when the jaws are closed to engage the portion of the pipe or rod which is not engaged by the chain and to coperate with the latter to increase the grip or hold uponrthe object. These toothed gripping portions 21 also serve to engage andretain in position small rods or p i es and prevent displacement thereof wh e the chain is being brought into gripping engagement therewith.

ldig. l shows the wrench adjusted to receive and engage rods or pipes of different surfaces are toothed and readily adjust themselves to engage the surfaces of the rod or pipe, it will be apparent that the rod or pipe will be firmly gripped and slipping of the wrench thereon and cutting the surface of the pipe prevented. The harder the degree of pulling strain upon the handle l the closer the gripping engagement will be between the gripping surfaces and the rod or pipe, so that slipping of the wrench will be prevented even in turning a refractory rod or pipe. The dog or catch 19 prevents loosening `of the chain, but by simply pressing back said dog the free end of the chain may be freed to permit the looped portion thereof to be increased or decreased in diameter for engagement with different sizes of rods or pipes, and then by freeing the dog the spring 20 will project or throw the same again into gripping engagement to securely hold the chain in its newly adjusted position.

From the foregoing description, the construction and mode of use of my improved wrench will be readily understood, and it will be seen that it provides a wrench which will quickly and firmly engage and hold a rod or pipe and maintain a tight gripping engagement therewith, and that by reason of the flexibility of the chain and the practically yielding pressure which it exerts and its capacity to accommodate itself to the surfaces of a pipe thin or fragile pipes may be gripped without liability of fracture of the same. In addition to the advantages mentioned, the wrench is sim le of construction and may be manufacturedp and sold at a comparatively low cost.

AIIavin thus fully described the invention, what is c aimed as new is 1. A wrench comprising a handle carrying relatively movable ja'ws, a gripping chain terminally connected with one of the jaws, a guide for the free end of the chain upon the other jaw, and a pivoted spring-actuated clamp associated with said guide for clamping the free end of the chain to said jaw.

2. A wrench comprising a handle carrying relatively movable jaws, a gripping chain arranged between the jaws and secured at one end to one of the jaws, aguide for the free end of the chain upon the other jaw, and a spring-actuated clamp upon said guide for securing the free end of the chain to said jaw.

3. A wrench comprising a handle carrying fixed and pivoted jaws, a spring for normally holding the pivoted jaw closed, a gripping chain pivoted at one end to the fixed jaw and in guided connection at its free end with the pivoted jaw, and a spring-actuated locking device upon the pivoted jaw to adjustably secure the free end of the chain thereto.

4. A wrench comprising a handle having relatively movable jaws, a toothed gripping chain arranged between and connected at one end with one of the jaws, plates upon the free end of the other jaw extending inwardly and outwardly therefrom, the outwardly extending portions of the plates forming a guide for the free end of the chain and the inwardly extending portions being toothed to grip the rod or pipe between the ends of the chai-n, and a locking device pivotally mounted upon the guide for securing the free end of the chain to said jaw.

5. A wrench comprising a handle carrying fixed and pivoted jaws, a spring for normally holding the pivoted jaw closed, a gripping chain pivoted at one end to the fixed jaw, a guiding device for the free end of the chain upon the pivoted jaw, said guiding device having inwardly extending toothed portions to engage the rod or pipe between the ends of the chain and a pivoted spring actuated locking device upon the guide to engage and secure the free end of the chain to the pivoted jaw.

6. A wrench comprising a handle carrying fixed and pivoted jaws, a spring for normally holding the pivoted jaw closed, a gripping chain pivoted at one end to the fixed aw, a guide for the free end o f the chain upon the free end of the movable jaw, a pivot pin carried by the guide, a locking dog pivotally mounted upon said pin to engage and interlock with the chain, and a spring arranged to normally throw the dog into locking position.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CLARENCE D. PETERS.

Witnesses:

OT'ro COOK, M. B. SLOAN. 

